NDSU Center for Child Development collects toys for children undergoing chemotherapyPosted on 4/20/2012

The NDSU Center for Child Development and Human Development and Family Science Club have partnered with Fargo State Bank and Trust to collect new toys and comfort items, such as blankets, for children undergoing chemotherapy at Sanford Health's Roger Maris Cancer Center, Pediatric Oncology.

The effort is part of the Spring 2012 Caring and Sharing Project that will culminate on Tuesday, April 24, at 9:30 a.m., when a Sanford oncology nurse visits the Center for Child Development to talk about how she helps children who are sick get better. The children will also help load the donations. The Center for Child Development is located in the Family Life Center on the NDSU campus.

"The center staff believe that even young children can make a difference in the community by helping others," said Debra Habedank, director of the Center for Child Development. "The children are experiencing that service firsthand, that giving and kindness to others has greater benefits than receiving. Our ultimate goal is to help develop caring adult citizens who give back to their community."

Children who attend the Center for Child Development and members of the Human Development and Family Science Club were each given $10 by Jeremy Neuharth, project manager at State Bank and Trust, through the Pay It Forward program. Families, teachers and club members then matched the $10 gift to buy the items. The children also decorated bags for the items and created get-well cards.

The idea to help children undergoing chemotherapy at Sanford came from a parent during a Parent Advisory Committee meeting.

Leading up to the service project, students from NDSU's College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences brought a program called The Great Health Care Adventure to the center. The program teaches children about health care careers in fun, interactive ways.